A/N: Quite a lot of emo in this chapter, I hope I managed to convey Sasuke's complicated feelings, without him being seen as weak. -_-;

Sasuke sat just outside the circle of witchfire torches on a fallen tree. He was invisible dressed in his dark celebration clothes and hidden in the shadow of the forest. From here Sasuke had watched as Naruto took the Hunter's Vow and then as he had been swamped by people offering their congratulations. Sai was keeping up a steady supply of mulled wine designed to warm everyone. Sasuke had had none; he didn't particularly feel like making his presence known so he would bear with the cold.

He knew Naruto wanted to talk and Sasuke had seen him glancing around as though searching for someone. Sasuke told himself that he wasn't exactly avoiding Naruto; he was probably visible if someone looked hard enough. Still, the unexpected end to their earlier sparring match kept floating unbidden to the forefront of his mind. Sasuke sighed, he really shouldn't have let something like that happen. He couldn't deny that he had grown increasingly fond of Naruto's company over his training months. So much so that it wasn't merely the company that he enjoyed, Naruto had become his friend. There had been moments, when Sasuke had felt a strange longing or an urge to be closer to Naruto, to make sure they would always be together. But Sasuke knew, better than anyone that in their world people didn't stay together.

Sasuke started as he realised someone was walking in his direction. He thought about bolting into the forest but she was looking right at him and such an action would seem cowardly. So he forced himself to remain seated as Hanabi joined him on the log. She held out a cup of hot mulled wine which he accepted with only the slightest hesitation. She probably knew he was cold anyway, it was the middle of winter after all.

They sat in silence listening to the taiko drums now accompanied by Neji on his shamisen. He swirled the strange hot drink around thoughtfully, checking the time every now and then. It was all alien again; this was nothing like the Uchiha's celebrations which had been statements of grandeur for as long as Sasuke could remember. And they didn't drink wine from their own vineyards as the Hyuuga family did. The celebrational drink was always homemade but the Uchiha adults had drunk a bright green tea, Sasuke remembered it clearly, though he had never been old enough to try it. He sipped at the sweet wine, his eyes falling once more on Naruto who was dancing with Sakura, both were laughing merrily as Ino swung past with Sai.

"He is not as light as he appears," murmured Hanabi. "His mind dwells on the texts I delivered to him this evening. He would readily bind himself to you. You know this, that is why you failed to mention the binding oath."

Sasuke grunted, so she'd told him about the oath? And Naruto wanted to take it with him. Sasuke watched Naruto's happy face as he danced. He couldn't allow that, he wouldn't fail another loved one.

"It's not possible."

"He knows what it means to bind yourself to another," she said calmly. Sasuke felt her pale eyes fall on him and struggled to wipe all thoughts from his mind but it was too late. "Ah..." she breathed in realisation, "It is not the vows that bother you, the past plagues your mind."

"Just because you glimpse my surface thoughts do not assume to know my mind," he snapped at her.

"I was merely making an observation."

Sasuke felt his temper flare; all these bloody Hyuugas were the same. "Well I don't like being observed like some animal in a zoo!" he said angrily, jumping to his feet and vaulting over the log into the forest.

Behind him he heard Hanabi mutter, "Nobody ever does." But he didn't pause to puzzle her meaning.

Sasuke stormed away through the trees. He didn't want to remember and he certainly didn't want to share his memories with a nosy child. He ran downhill as fast as he could in the inconvenient geta, using his superior sight to pick a safe path.

"Sasuke! Wait up!"

That was all it took, a moment of concentration lost and Sasuke's foot caught in a tree root sending him sprawling on the forest floor in a most undignified manner. He growled in annoyance as he sat up looking at the pine needles and mud marring his hakama. Sasuke looked over his shoulder to see Naruto hurrying down the hill. He snatched up the empty cup that had fallen from his hand and hurled it as soon as the man was within range. It flew past Naruto's ear and smashed on a nearby tree.

"What was that for bastard?!"

"Fuck off!" replied Sasuke, pulling himself to his feet.

"No!"

"Why not?" he inquired in a hostile tone, brushing dead leaves away from his best kimono.

"We need to talk," said Naruto firmly.

"Now?" asked Sasuke incredulously, refusing to look at him.

"Actually I would have preferred earlier but I couldn't find you."

"You didn't try," said Sasuke harshly. It was true that Naruto hadn't tried but Sasuke also hadn't made it very easy.

"Okay fine, but I was looking for you." Sasuke nodded stiffly, finally looking at him as Naruto bowed his head. "I... I wanted to apologise... for earlier. My actions were inappropriate, I didn't mean to offend you and hope our friendship has not been damaged."

Sasuke looked at him in surprise, the apology was obviously well rehearsed. He reached over, his hand hovering over Naruto's shoulder. His stomach was churning. Sasuke didn't know what he had expected to come from avoiding Naruto but this didn't feel right.

"Not your fault," he stuttered out. "I might have... overreacted." Sasuke awkwardly set his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm not saying it wasn't inappropriate but you're not the only one to blame."

Naruto looked up, relief shining from him. Then suddenly Sasuke was pulled into a strong hug. It wasn't the first time they had hugged and Sasuke reassured himself that it was just a friendly gesture. He dropped his head on Naruto's slightly shorter shoulder.

Sasuke took a deep breath, he needed to explain the situation, Naruto had to understand. "It's not just that we were teacher and student, that's not really a serious problem. But romantic involvement with other hunters is often messy, I don't want to lose what we have."

"I don't want to lose you either," murmured Naruto. "But that doesn't change how I feel about you. We have time." His voice was muffled as he buried his face in Sasuke's chest, "-won't give up."

Sasuke felt his heartbeat quicken. He didn't quite understand everything that Naruto was saying but he knew now that their relationship had gone past the friends stage. It was all changing too quickly for Sasuke and it scared him. He had never needed to think about such things before.

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about," he heard Naruto mutter.

"I know," said Sasuke softly; he had been dreading this part.

Naruto stepped back, "You know? How?"

"Hanabi told me." Naruto looked puzzled so he continued. "She's a mind-reader dobe."

"Eh, like literally?!" Sasuke nodded. "Huh... guess that explains why I always get weird vibes from her. Damn that's a little creepy, little 13 year old girls shouldn't be able to pry into peoples thoughts." Naruto took a moment to digest this new information before looking at Sasuke again. "So she told you about the bonding thing?"

Sasuke nodded. He was having to force himself to stay put, he had the urge to run again. The darkness of the night was getting to him and he felt far too exposed outside, under the stars. The clock was ticking, they couldn't linger here for too long. Right now the last thing he wanted to do was have this conversation, he couldn't take that oath again.

"Will you-"

"Don't ask me Naruto." Sasuke turned away, but he didn't leave just yet, he knew he would have to give a reason.

"Why?" Naruto sounded hurt, more hurt than Sasuke had expected.

Sasuke took a pained breath, his chest felt suddenly tight. "It wouldn't work. You'd be better off finding someone else."

"I don't want anyone else. You're my best friend! For fuck's sake Sasuke, you can't deny we work well together!"

Naruto's voice was desperate, he was clearly determined to have his way and Sasuke knew just how stubborn he was. But he ignored the continued protests and arguments. Until...

"What are you scared of?"

Sasuke stiffened. Naruto had resorted to goading him. His instinct was to think of a smart comeback and prove that he wasn't scared of anything. Sasuke had never admitted to being scared. And that was because of course, Uchiha's didn't get scared. But he did, he was scared to hurting people and scared of losing control. He'd seen it happen before and it had made him... wary of binding himself to anyone again. Doubts had been breeding in his mind. One of the key responsibilities of the oath was to help your bonded fight any and all demonic urges.

"You haven't felt the demonic pull yet have you?"

Naruto reeled at the blunt question. "What? Well... I suppose not. But what's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm not the only one who expects it. You'll face the problem at some point and I think it will be even more difficult to fight; it'll hit you stronger than most have to deal with. You don't get it; I won't be able to help you fight it like your bonded should."

"Well I can fight whatever comes my way. It'll be fine." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's optimism. "What? Why are you so sure this will end badly? Do you have a reason or are you just being a grumpy bastard?!"

"I've seen it before. I fucked up my last bonded."

Confusion was etched into Naruto's features,"But... I thought it was a permanent oath?"

"'Breakable only by death'."

"Who?" Sasuke looked back at Naruto, despair and guilt written all over his face and the answer came to Naruto. "...Itachi."

Sasuke nodded. He hadn't wanted Naruto to know; he'd screwed up everything. All Sasuke's life Itachi had been the perfect big brother, he was kind and strong and had always protected him. It had seemed natural to take the oath and Sasuke had been keen for the opportunity to be his brother's equal. But when Itachi had needed him Sasuke hadn't been able to protect him or their family. Everyone had died because he hadn't been strong enough.

"Sasuke... I'm not Itachi. You need to let go of the past. I want to help you and I think you can help me too. In fact you already have helped me; you make me strong. From the start you've pushed me and I want to return the favour. That... demon that got your brother, he's still out there right?"

"Madara... You're not strong enough to defeat him," scoffed Sasuke.

"Together we might be, and we can at least try. I want to try.

"That would be suicide."

Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "I don't care."

"You're crazy."

A cat-like grin spread across Naruto's face and he shrugged. "All the geniuses in this world are crazy, you know that Sasuke. Come on, be my bonded! We'd be good together." Sasuke shifted awkwardly; he wasn't persuaded. Naruto nodded in understanding. "I can't decide for you. But you have till sunrise so I guess you have some thinking to do."

Naruto began to turn away when a echoing horn blast stopped him in his tracks.

Sasuke cursed, "It must be nearly midnight, we need to get back to the cabins!" Sasuke turned on his heel and began to hurry downhill once more.

"There's a curfew?" asked Naruto, following him as quickly as possible.

"Use your brain 'genius', it's the witching hour; the demons will be at their strongest point of the entire year. Get inside, lock the doors, draw the curtains and hide under your covers. Strange things happen during the witching hour."

They fled as fast as they could through the night and reached the cabins with only minutes to spare.

"Stay with me," gasped Naruto, clutching at a stitch in his side.

"I daren't, I already feel the pull; the Demon's Hour changes people!"

The next sixty minutes were pure hell for Sasuke. He did indeed cower beneath his covers but every fibre of his being longed to break free from the confines of his cabin. Again and again he relived the torturous images of that night so many years ago when his world had been stolen from him. His senses had clouded over, everything blanketed in a crackling fog leaving him alone with his memories.

He saw again the grand front of a five-star hotel, pride of the Uchiha family enterprise. Itachi held his hand as they followed their parents into the glass lift and flew to the rooftop where everyone danced, gliding across the floor in a myriad of beautiful colours. The Uchiha's solstice celebration. Here was every proud and successful Uchiha, ready to brag about their achievements and showcase their children. The city's pavements where insignificant far below, the evening sky like an expansive blanket of the finest silk painted in sunset colours.

But the sky soon lost all light. There were screams. Then shouts. The chink of steel on steel. Sasuke wheeled around as someone pushed past, he watched as Shisui threw himself from the rooftop, shamisen in hand. Several others followed him. The smell of burning was filling the air, someone had tipped the ceremonial fire from it's volumous brazier onto the banquet tables. And soon it wasn't just the tables that were burning. The air was tainted with the tang of singed flesh as people threw themselves into the blaze. The exits saw a constant stream of people fleeing the scene and Sasuke was bourne into the crowd. He was jostled down endless flights of stairs and at every floor the crowd thinned as people sought cover from the madness in the sprawling corridors of the hotel.

By the time Sasuke reached the lobby he was almost alone. A few faceless Uchihas blended into the ground floor rooms and one ran for the revolving door. He was almost safe when a tall boy stepped into his path. The man pulled a dagger from an inside pocket but held it in trembling hands. Sasuke watched as he turned his dagger and plunged it deep into his own chest. As the dead man keeled over sideways the source of the night's madness was revealed. Sasuke looked upon the face of his brother and was unable to recognise him.

Eyes that gleamed bloody red stared accusingly at Sasuke through the dark. Electricity ripped through him like the fire that had consumed the jewelled structure and he writhed under its pressure. The demonic magick within him called for release.

-0-

Naruto also dwelt beneath his covers but he felt rather stupid for doing so. He wondered briefly whether Sasuke was making a fool of him but he had only to remind himself of the panicked expression on the Uchiha's face as he fled in the direction of his cabin to realise that this threat was one that truly scared Sasuke. So then he was left pondering what exactly this threat was. 'The Demon's Hour'? What was that exactly? He vaguely remembered Sakura telling him that everyone would be in bed fairly early and people had been leaving the lakeside for a while before Naruto had spotted Sasuke running into the forest, but he had assumed it was merely a suggestion that ensured everyone woke up for the sunrise ceremony. Now he discovered it was some dark hour when people... changed. Naruto clenched his fists; that surely meant a demonic change. He closed his eyes, remembering a red eyed Sasuke advancing on him, charged up with demonic energy. And he was in that cabin all alone... shouldn't Neji be with him to neutralise him? Or did Neji suffer at this time as well?

"Am I the only one who feels nothing?" Naruto asked the empty room.

Sasuke had warned him he might feel a slight change as the solstice approached, perhaps a bout of headaches, or lack of energy some hunters even experienced moodiness and grew short-tempered at this time, Naruto thought Sasuke was the latter, but he had felt none of these side effects. It seemed every hunter felt the turning of the year and the peak of the demons' power. It wasn't as though he wanted to turn into some demon but if everyone thought it was all going to hit him hard then Naruto wanted to get it over with. Apparently this was one of those 'rather sooner than later' things.

However, more than anything else at this moment, he wanted to go to Sasuke. He felt an overwhelming urge to rush over there and give the Uchiha whatever he needed, whether it be company or someone to lash out at. His reaction to Hiashi's display of power when the man lit the fire earlier had been one of shock. Naruto didn't see what was so hard, he had learned how to produce witchfire a while ago and it was easy enough, but he trusted Sasuke's knowledge; it was difficult to do it at this time, it was all to do with this night. Sasuke's last words remained with him; 'The Demon's Hour changes people!' He had sounded utterly frantic. In fact Sasuke had seemed a little twitchy all evening, or at least for the time Naruto had seen him. It would be just like Sasuke to hide his struggle. If tonight was difficult for Sasuke he wouldn't admit it, Naruto knew his pride would not permit it.

Naruto had a sudden thought. He hadn't tried to produce clones for the last few days perhaps if he did it now it would prove that what everyone else viewed as a dark time had absolutely no effect on him. He was still sat under his bedcovers as he focused on drawing all his magick inwards and then sending it in several different directions. There were several small thuds as three pyjama clad copies of Naruto rolled away from him. Naruto grinned... and then frowned. So he wasn't effected. No need to hide under the covers then. He stood up and looked at the other Narutos.

At that moment a distant cry reached his ears. Naruto strained his hunter hearing and heard the noise again; it was Sasuke. He didn't think twice before disobeying Sasuke's orders and rushing out of the cabin. If he was having another of his nightmares he wouldn't be allowed to suffer it alone. Naruto ran full pelt up the path clones in tow and wrenched Sasuke's door open.

The Uchiha wasn't under his covers, he was curled on the cold wooden floor, writhing in pain and clutching his head in both hands.

"Shit, Sasuke!"

Naruto hurried over and dropped to the floor beside him but as soon as he reached out Sasuke shrugged him away.

"Leave!" rasped Sasuke trying to crawl away.

"This is no time to be proud Sasuke!"

Naruto grabbed the mans shoulder, pulling Sasuke back to face him. Sasuke's eyes which had been clamped shut suddenly opened wide. They were vividly red. Before Naruto could do anything pale hands wrapped tightly around his throat, squeezing with frightening force. But the shock of the situation wore off fast and the hunter instinct Sasuke said he had, kicked in. It took less than a second for Naruto to flicker between all three of his clones delivering the frantic order: 'Restrain him!' They immediately sprang into action. Two grabbed his arms to haul him backwards, Naruto hurried to push him down on the floor sitting astride him and instructing his other clone to pin Sasuke's legs down as the Uchiha attempted a counter move.

"Sasuke! Look at me!" cried Naruto.

Sasuke's head, which had been angrily flipping from side to side searching for an opening snapped to Naruto's face. His normally handsome face was contorted in blind rage, pale cheeks marred by a blotchy red flush. Naruto was temporarily lost for words. What could he say to bring back that calm expression and those deep, dark eyes?

"Please... Sasuke," Naruto murmured, his voice cracking as he leaned close, holding the struggling man down, trying to communicate his message with his eyes. Sasuke had once said he was too easy to read and Naruto begged all the powers in this world and the next to let Sasuke understand him. "Don't you recognise me? It's Naruto... your best friend Naruto..."

Naruto thought he saw a flicker of something register in Sasuke's eyes, his pupils which had shrunk to a pin prick, barely visible, widened to a more normal size though the irises were still stained blood red. And still he struggled. In a mad moment of desperation Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips, once, hard to Sasuke's. Into the kiss he threw all his will to restore the normal Sasuke, the only Sasuke, his Sasuke.

When he broke away he felt Sasuke draw a deep breath. His eyes were still red but his attempts to break free had lessened.

"Hands!" he choked out, throwing all his strength into freeing his arms. "...Give!"

Naruto nodded that he understood. He allowed his clones to merge with his body once more but took the precaution of restraining the man's upper arms to prevent Sasuke from throttling him again. He almost let go as electricity sparked briefly at Sasuke's hands which splayed palm down on the floor, but the energy seemed confined to his hands as it flowed from his increasingly limp body. Sasuke's eyes were closed in concentration and Naruto didn't dare move for fear of upsetting him.

Several tense minutes later Sasuke's exhaled slowly, opening his eyes as he did so. Naruto looked into them and nearly cried in relief. His head fell forwards, forehead resting against Sasuke, still feverish from the episode.

"I thought I lost you," he admitted softly.

Sasuke's eyes drifted shut as he reached up and wrapped his arms around Naruto pulling him closer. He nestled his face into the crook of Naruto's neck taking long, calming breaths. Naruto held him tightly, desperately needing the comfort of another living body. He stared hard at a strangely shaped scorch mark on the wooden floorboards. It looked like a hand print.

"You did it, what Neji does... dispelling your magick," he muttered in realisation.

He felt Sasuke nod a little and make a muffled reply.

"What did you say?"

"I'll do it," replied Sasuke in a firmer voice. "At sunrise."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what was being said. "You really want to?" he asked, pulling away to look at Sasuke.

"Yes. It feels right somehow..." he said pensively, looking at the burn marks his magick had created.

"Okay," Naruto replied with a small smile that lit his features. "Then I think we should get to sleep, we have an early start," he stood up and offered Sasuke a hand.

Sasuke glanced up at him, cocking an eyebrow in a familiar expression. "You're inviting yourself into my bed now?"

Naruto didn't miss a beat, "It's only practical; I need to make sure you're up in time."

"I think you got that the wrong way around."

He accepted Naruto's help to stand. His legs shook slightly, he was clearly feeling drained. Naruto helped him walk over the bedroll. Sasuke looked on the verge of protesting at the treatment despite the fact that he obviously needed it. They lay down and silence filled the cabin for several long moments so that Naruto couldn't be sure if Sasuke was still awake.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"What changed your mind?"

There was a long, tense pause, "I'm not sure," he said eventually. "Something just feels different... I feel different."

"I'm glad."

"Go to sleep."

A/N: Hope that went down okay, let me know, ne?

-Yasu